Smoke generator



Oct. l0, 1961 J, L BONANNO 3,003,279

SMOKE GENERATOR Filed May 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .INH

BY WM 71%,/ d@

ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1961 J. L. BoNANNo SMOKE GENERATOR 2 t w M Y m 4T. a nm. a. u 26.24 .1@ l if. E M E M NH .|.Il I Mw. 0 u A# 4 ml w Q 9 l u. 4.4m w 5T w. m m

INVENTO R z/Bsrp# l. BON/:Mvc

ATTORNEYS United States Patent* This invention relates in general to toys and particularly to a new and useful apparatus for electing the emission of puits o smoke from such toys.

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extending clamping portion 28 having slots 30 and 32 'l through which is positioned bolts 34 and 36 which are secu-red to a bracket 38' aixed to the locomotive 10.

- The smoke generator 26 has an upper shallow depth three-quarter cylindrical chamber 40 above the lower cylindrical chamber 24. The remaining quarter cylinf drical portion formed over the cylindrical portion 24 inyThe present invention is similar to that disclosed and eration purposes by a relatively low resistance Aheating unit and which can be operated from the same electric power which operates the toy.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention'to cludes an air passage 42 having an openngr44 in communication with the lower cylindrical-portion 24. Reciprocation of the cup-shaped piston member 22 within the lower cylindrical portion 24 alternately directs air upwardly into the passage 42 and back downwardly into the lower cylindrical Chamber24.

The passage 42 is in communication with a downwardly extending side passage 46 which is coextensive with the elongation of the entire cylindrical Section including the L upper cylindrical portions 40 and 42 and the lowercylinprovide an improved smoke generator for toys including a baffled air passage ow and a vertically elongated heating compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved smoke generator for a toy which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture. v

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification, For a lbetter understanding ofthe invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a fragmentary vertical, longitudinal sectional view through the iront portion of a toy locomotive and a smoke generator constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the smoke generator constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings in particular the invention as embodied therein includes a locomotive indicated partially in phantom and generally designated 10. The locomotive includes a pair of driving wheels *12, 12 (one of which is shown) rotatably mounted on a shaft 14 which carries a cam 16 aiiixed thereto and adapted to engage a bent lever 18 pivotally anchored at its one end to the locomotive as indicated at 20.

In accordance with the invention an inverted cup-shaped piston member 22 is positioned over the upper end of the bent lever 18 for reciprocation within a lower cylindrical chamber 24 of a smoke generator generally designated 26. Rotation of the shaft 14 and the cam 16 is effective to shift the bent lever and the piston member 22 from the full line position to the dotted line position indicated in FIG. 1.

The smoke generator 26 is provided with a laterally drical chamber 24. The passage 46 connects to a similarly elongated laterally adjacent heating passage 48 through a small rectangular opening 50 formed in a bafe wall 52. l

In accordance with the invention a cylindrical electric resistance heating element 54 is positioned within the heating passage 48. The walls of the heating passage 48 are covered by a heat recctive metallic member 56 to maintain the heating passage 48 at high temperatures, and to afford better heat transfer to air passing therethrough. The upper portion of the heating passage 48 is in communication with the three-quarter cylindrical chamber 40. The heating element 54 includes a wick portion 55.at

Y the bottom end made of fibrous material.

A cover member generally designated 58 includes .a block-shaped upper housing 60 which ts over the heating passage 48 and is provided with an opening Athrough which a wire connection 62 yfor the heater 54 extends. An opposite terminal 64 extends below the baille wall 52 and upwardly through the passage l46 through the cover member 58. The terminal 64 is grounded on the bracket 38 and is continued, along with the wire 62, to metal terminal clips 66 and 68 respectively. The clips 66 and 68 are positioned within a terminal housing 70 located at one end of the smoke generator 26.

The cover member 58 also includes a baille protuberance 72 positioned above the aperture 44 to direct air pushed upwardly from the cylindrical chamber 24 through the aperture 44 in a direction toward the passage 46. The cover member 58 also includes an elongated cylindrical stack or ue 74, the interior of which is in communication with the three-quarter cylindrical passage 40.

The terminal clips 66 and 68 are connected to the same electrical power source used to drive the locomotive. A drop of liquid 76 of smoke producing material such as oil, is dropped through the iiue 74. The liquid will ilow along a sloping wall 78 separating the threequarter cylindrical chamber 40 from the lower cylindrical chamber 24. Air heated in the heating passage 48 by the heater 54 will be directed back and forth through the passages by reciprocation of the piston member 22 in the lower cylinder 24. The liquid smoke producing substance will ilow down the sloping wall 78 and be collected in the heating passage 48 and in a chamber 80 formed between the walls of the lower cylinder 24 and a short metallic wall 82 forming a portion of the metallic member 56. The wick portion 55 of the heating element 54 will be saturated with the liquid and vaporization and smoking will occur.

Air tlow caused by the movement of the piston 22 upwardly, is indicated by the arrows in the drawings. Air will flow from the lower cylinder 24 to the opening 44 downwardly through the passage 46 and under the baille wall 52 and thence upwardly in the heating passage 48 over the wick saturated with the liquid and over the Ptented oet. 1o, 19er sposare' sloping wall 78 and up through the flue 74. Once the liquid has vaporized sutliciently due to heat from the heating element 54, the liquid will begin to give off smoke and movement of the air thereover will be in spurts causing puffs of smoke to be emitted from the flue 74.

The invention provides a very eticient and inexpensive apparatus for the generation of smoke puifs for toys. The invention iinds particular application for use with a toy locomotive and the heating requirements are such that the low power electrical power system used for the locomotive is satisfactory to generate the smoke. The construction of the heater permits continued operation without contamination or clogging of the parts and the heat transfer is excellent and localized so that it does not cause a heating problem within the locomotive.

While a speciiic embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may bc embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined toy smoke producing and puffing apparatus comprising a molded body portion and a cover portion tted and secured to said body portion, said body portion including: an air compression chamber having a small opening at one end, said opening functioning both as the inlet and the outlet port to said compression chamber, a piston reciprocably displaceable within said air compression chamber, wall means external to the air compression chamber defining with an outside wall thereof an elongated air heating chamber, and vertically elongated smoke generating means mounted in a side portion of said air heating chamber; said cover portion including a depending partition wall dividing said air heating chamber into adjacent elongated first and second connecting passageways, said first passageway being in sealed direct communication with said air compression chamber small opening at one end and at the other end with the lower portion of said second passageway, and ue means in communication with said second passageway to discharge generated smoke, said ue means adapted to receive and direct smoke generating material to the bottom portion of said second passageway to replenish said smoke generating means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second connecting passageway of said air heating chamber is lined with a heat reflecting material and contains said vertically elongated smoke generating means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cover portion further includes a downwardly projecting protuberance in proximity to said air compression chamber small opening to direct a high velocity stream of air into the top portion of said tirst passageway.

4. In a toy smoke producing and putling apparatus including movable wall means within an air compression chamber having a small opening in one end serving both as the inlet and tbe outlet port to the compression chamber, the improvement comprising; tiue means for discharging smoke, wall means external to the air compression chamber defining in combination with an outside wall of the chamber a substantially U-shaped elongated air heating passageway, one end of said U-shaped passageway being in sealed direct communication with the compression chamber small opening, the other end portion of said U-shaped passageway communicating with said flue means, elongated electric heating means mounted in the last mentioned end portion of said air heating passageway to heat air directed therethrough, and heat reflective material lining the passageway about said cloctric heating means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 1,535,901 Clark Apr. 28, 1925 2,610,437 Smith Sept. 16, 1952 2,610,438 smith sept. 16, 1952 2,658,303 Pettit Nov. l0, 1953 2,673,419 Kelch et al. Mar. 30, 1954 

